Calcium Reactor Question

[Lacy]

I am looking into buying a Calcium Reactor system and wondering if anyone can recommend a good guide to purchasing one? This is for a 180g tank (about 210 total volume) with a lot of frags (from the swap, thanks!) and T5/MH lighting.
I know many tanks have them, is there one that is preferred? In the sump or out of the sump?
It looks like a quality CO2 valve will be critical - recommendation? Where do you get your CO2 in Fort Lauderdale? Is it necessary to buy a bottle or can one be leased?
Finally, I'll probably get a controller in the future so I want to ensure what I buy now will work with a system in the future. If I understand correctly, that means ensuring the reactor has a pH port and the CO2 valve has a solenoid, anything else to consider?

Lots of questions but I highly value your opinions, Thanks.

 

[racermike27]

Hey Renee,

I am using a GEO unit. It is easy setup and maintainance.
I am using a reef fanatic solenoid and output gauge, with their controller as well, unit also came with a steel needle valve as well.

 

[coralfragger101]

I upgraded to a Korallin unit and have a Coralife 250 just sitting here. It's not the best made unit in the world but it did work when I had it set up. It does have a probe port as well.

$60 cash or $60 worth of frags and it's yours.

 

[koiscapes]

I just had one built by Manny, great work @ a great price.

picture of equipment

 

[gasman059]

Broward Nelson Fountain Services

241 SW 21st Ter
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

(954) 584-7330

3 reactors- GEO/procal/deltec

 

[ReefWreak]

Manny hit the brands on the head. those 3 will give you the best at whichever price point you're looking for.

CO2 bottles can be purchased anywhere, usually for around $100 for a 10lb or so. I found them at a local gas (acetelyne for welding, CO2 for beverage vending and fire extingusing and paintball, and others).

The more you spend (in general) the less of a PITA it'll be. Geo and Deltec will be the best for consistency.

 

[jeffbrig]

Renee, I'm in the same boat. I've been sitting on a Schuran Jetstream1, reef fanatic regulator, and a huge CO2 tank I got from Rogger. If I get off my butt and get the bottle filled, I should be setting it up in the near future.

 

[Lacy]

Lots of good information. I was just over at Rogger's talking about the reactors and I liked his Deltec. I saw one of Manny's as well and liked it. I've never seen a Coralife 250, I'll check it out online.

Thanks for the info!!

 

[coralfragger101]

The coralife and a deltec are like a yugo vs ferrari.

The yugo is/was cheap but it did work.

 

[A.T.T.R]

as for co2
eco reef trades out emtpy tanks for filled ones ( 5 lbs i belive for 10 bucks trade out // i dunno)
i got a used five pounder from them
a lil over 2 months ago i think

started at 1000 psi
its now at like 980 psi you really dont need a big tank

 

[sickyute]

about how long would a 5 lb tank last on a 215 that's a mixxed reef moderately-highly stacked with sps?
kind of a general question but i guess it's worth a shot.

 

[bawla47]

repost

 

[bawla47]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12068682#post12068682 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sickyute
about how long would a 5 lb tank last on a 215 that's a mixxed reef moderately-highly stacked with sps?
kind of a general question but i guess it's worth a shot.

its really dependent on what calcium reactor you run. some are alot more efficent and recirculate the co2. the shurans are one of the best out there for that.

i did see a new calcium reactor thats supppost to be so sweet, outcoming ph is almost exactly the same as the tank ph.


to answer a few qs renee, i have a knop S IV . works pretty well imo.

i dont think a super good co2 gauge set and needle valve is crictical, ive used 2 milwaukees and they were both just fine and did the job.

a controller is nice but its not NEEDED, i did for a while run my controller not so much to constantly adjust to a 6.6 in the reactor, but if the ph in the overall tank lowered a certain amt, itd cut off. once you generally dial it in on your own w/out a controller, you dont need to finick with it, just to increase it once a while as your demands increase.

but yea, if you DID want the control, just a port and solenoid on the co2 valve.

ALL calcium reactors that ive seen are run externally out of sump.
its good if you can to drip your effluent into your refugium, will help increase the ph, and your plants will love it more.

 

[djfrankie]

Deltec
H&S
Geo
Korallin

That is my preference and specifically in that order.

Also, checkout the new Aquac reactor as it looks pretty well made in the pics I've seen online. I don't know anyone around here that has it yet though.

Good Luck!

djfrankie

 

[saltwaterfishlover]

I love my schuran

 

[reefsahoy]

when you buy a co2 tank, check the expiration date on the bottle! by law, the gas co will only refill it if it's not expired. i think the life span for the co2 bottle is 5 years can some else verify?

 

[Glove]

its not the 'life span' it is just the date of the last hydrostatic test.

...compressed gas tanks- steel and aluminum must have this test done every 5 years.
Sometimes the tanks fail and then they are not allowed to be filled again.
Shipping tanks filled is next to impossible so shop for that locally. If you find a used tank, locate the stamped info on the top of the neck. One set or grouping of numbers will tell the last inspection. Something like "94" or "07". If its really old there will be a few inspection dates stamped and usually someone uses a little dab of paint to make the numbers stand out. I have some tanks (scuba) that have 79 stamped on them.
Its all about how ya fill em.

while I am here I will give ya my 2 cents about CA reactors...
PH probe located inside the effluent chamber is a great thing, I have a GEO.
PH controllers are great. I use the Aerican Marine
calibrate probes (I use a controller and a meter to monitor) so get extra calibration fluids and be careful with the probe tips.

Set-up is easy, take your time to dial it in. make adustments then wait 12-24 hours to see how your tank responds.
Stony corals will start growing like weeds if you keep things stable. Test Alk, Ca, and Mg weekly and monitor PH swings, some tanks have the issue, some dont. Topping off with Kalk can help.

If you have stony corals in a large tank and can afford the $$ and space I say go for it.

 

[Lacy]

Same as for dive tanks. They (dive tanks) can be retested, if they pass, they are redated, if they fail, you get a nice heavy paperweight back. Does the working pressure change for CO2 bottles as it does for dive tanks (3000psi tank becomes 2400 psi max)?

Andy, Nice Schuran setup, is that the Jetstream 1? What is the rating (800 g I think?) and does it keep the tank parameters well? I cannot tell if you have a pH probe for a monitor/controller. If so, which one; if not, do you test the effluent, tank ph/alk and how often?

 

[Glove]

Lacy, I have never heard of a preessure rating change. Its a pass or fail thing with the hydro test.
As for scuba tanks...If it says 3000, they get filled to 3000.
I have known scuba tanks to get 'over-filled' but thats flirting with death in my opinion.
Getting underfilled tanks is unfortunately common.

Im not real educated about CO2 fills, but I do know its by weight, not pressure, so I dont think the pressure is ever even close to the max rating.

 

[ReefWreak]

Yea the pressure of CO2 is around 800 PSI if I remember correctly from my paintball days, if it's even that high. It is more of a weight thing, because the CO2 comes in liquid when it's compressed usually, and that liquid slowly evaporates in the tank, creating more gas (so you get more volume of CO2 gas by filling your tank with liquid than you do filling it with air at the same pressure as the CO2, or gas CO2, if that makes sense)

About the Schuran Jetstream1, I've seen them in person, and they look a little small to run a 800 gallon system on... I guess if JeffBrig has it in preparation to use on his big setup, then you can get away with it. It should be fine on a 100-150g setup though, probably larger, but it depends on your SPS load.